The flag of Montgomery County, Maryland, is quartered by a crenellated horizontal line and a straight vertical line. The top-left and bottom-right quarters feature a gold fleur-de-lis on a blue background, while the top-right and bottom-left quarters display a gold ring with a blue gem on a red background. The crenellated line consists of 11 equal squares, with the central block split into red (left) and blue (right). The fleur-de-lises and rings are three times the height of a square in the crenellated line, centered horizontally in their quarters and positioned vertically equidistant from the quarter’s edges and the nearest part of the crenellated line.
The flag was adopted on October 5, 1976, and designed by the College of Arms.
Symbolism[]
The flag is based on the coat of arms of the Montgomery family, a scion of which, Richard Montgomery, gave the county its name. It is inspired by the shield from Montgomery County's official coat of arms, which was designed and approved by the College of Arms in London, England.
The fleur-de-lis symbolizes the French ancestry of the Montgomery family. The golden rings represent royal favor and protection and are found in the family coat of arms of General Montgomery's family. The crenellated line represents the borders of a local government.[1]
History[]
Former Flag[]
The former flag of Montgomery County, Maryland, is a white background with the county’s former seal placed in the center of the flag. Around the former seal are the numbers and words, "1776", "1936", and "MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND”. Montgomery County used this design from May 3, 1944, until October 5, 1976. It was created by Lilly Catherine Stone.
Current Flag[]
The flag was designed at the request of the Montgomery County Executive, the Montgomery County Council officially adopted it as the county flag on October 5, 1976, through Bill 38-76. This legislation is now codified as Section 1-402 of the Montgomery County Code.[1]